St Paul, in the second reading, mentions three wills that vie for prominence — our will, the will of others and God’s will. God often loses this battle. But he keeps coming back to convince us that His way is the best. Hence, the English poet Francis Thompson aptly titled God, “the Hound of Heaven”.

God’s hounding is not brute force; it is gentle, gradual and loving. Jeremiah is so captivated by it that his will cannot resist God any more — God’s love and His word feels imprisoned in his very bones. He cannot help himself but set God free in his life. When the whole nation mocked and belittled him, Jeremiah’s sustenance was the memory that, “God seduced him and Jeremiah let himself be seduced”.

The Gospel portrays a Peter who tries to superimpose his will over God’s. On hearing Jesus’ first passion prediction, Peter tries to strategically alter Jesus’ desire to achieve victory through suffering. Peter’s will can never allow that to happen to his master. But Jesus’ will is already attuned to His Father.

Whose will do we give ourselves to; and when others come to us whose will do we manifest?